Banana And Coconut Bread
There’s nothing quite like remaking an old favorite using new ideas and new ingredients. This nourishing banana bread wins people over time after time, even though it’s quite different from traditional banana bread. I’ve used dates to replace the refined sugars typically used, as well as a mixture of shredded coconut and brown rice flour in place of wheat flour. Spelt flour is also a great option if brown rice flour isn’t on hand.
Ingredients
125 ml (4 fl oz/ 1/2 cup) coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
4 eggs, beaten
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
8 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
65 g (2 oz/ 1 cup) shredded coconut
135 g (4 oz/ 1 cup) brown rice flour
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 10 x 22 cm (4 x 8½ inch) loaf (bar) tin with baking paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix the melted coconut oil with the vanilla, eggs, bananas, dates and bicarbonate of soda. Next, add the shredded coconut and brown rice flour and fold in until well combined.
Pour this mixture into the lined loaf tin and bake for approximately 45–60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then slice and pack up in a fresh piece of baking paper or brown paper with cotton twine to take to the picnic.
